Labyrinth of the Dead
by TheVanishingSky
Summary: Life is a game; love is just a piece of it. You can throw it away - replace it with something else. In the end, it doesn't really matter. It never did. Even in the labyrinth of the dead, nothing changes. {Merle Dixon love story} The . Nightmares . Before . A . Dream 2013-2014
1. Prologue

_"It's amazing how two people can be so perfect for each other but they're both too scared to get hurt that they don't do anything about it." _  
_~*~o~*~_

Ezra walked carefully to Colton's side. She kneeled down and cupped his cheek gently, tears streaming silently down her pale face. How many times had she gone through this? Colton smiled up at her, "I'll be fine, E," He said, saying the nickname she had been given when the two first became friends.

The wind around them blew gently, sending the trees into a small dance. The blonde shook her head slightly, forcing a smile through the tears, "You promised you wouldn't leave me," She choked out. She knew this was childish - she was nearly 30 - but she couldn't help it. He _had _promised he wouldn't leave her alone in this new, shitty world; but here he was, _breaking that goddamn promise._ The girl had always taken promises seriously - her father was in the army, so he always promised her that he'd come home with some kind of souvenir from where he had been stationed. It was usually just a small teddy bear, or a necklace, with the occasional music box and shirt. But no matter what, he _promised._ Colton _promised_ he wouldn't leave her, but he was here, right next to her, bleeding out from that _goddamn_ bite on his shoulder.

He sacrificed himself to protect her. How many times had he done shit like this just to _protect _her? She wasn't a child, and they both knew that Ezra had been more than just a friend to Colton since the day they met; but to Ezra, Colton was a best friend, a _brother. _ He was _dying _because he needed to be the _fucking _hero.

But no matter what; people knew. Before the world went to shit, people _knew_ that Ezra was Colton's, and Colton was Ezra's. No one would have it any other way, because they were perfect together. Maybe not as a couple, but as they met, Colton knew that Ezra was the last piece to the puzzle he had been trying so hard to solve, but he knew that Ezra would never like him that way; he was too much like her father.

Ezra always held high respect for her father; not only because he was a soldier, but because he was a respectable, reliable man. He never lied - he always said it how it was, no matter how bad the situation. He never broke a promise - he always came home to Ezra and her mother as he had always promised. He had always found a way to call at least once a week - and if they were lucky they got to Skype. He always found some way to come home for the important holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas. No one knew how he did it. They knew he wore himself thin; between going to war, coming home for the holidays, calling his family. Maybe that's why he had finally _dropped_ a few months before shit hit the fan.

He had been home for Ezra's 29th birthday, though she never figured out why he had decided to come home just then. Just a few days later, her mother found him on the floor in the kitchen.

_Colton._ "I'm sorry, E. I'm so sorry. I know I'm breaking my promise and I'm-"

"Shut the fuck up," Ezra said, the hand that wasn't caressing his cheek tangling its way into the man's wavy brown hair. She didn't have time for this; she always hated _sorry, thank you, _and_ please. _But _sorry._ It was the worst. It couldn't fix the damage that was already done; they both knew that. But that's how Colton was raised. Apologize for everything, even if it wasn't his fault. It was _proper and polite._

"I'm sorry, Echo," He said, calling her by the second and last nickname he had for her. From the phonetic alphabet(1). She shook her head, her natural blonde ringlets brushing around on her shoulders and neck. She leaned down, and placed a gently kiss on his forehead.

"I love you, Colton," She said quietly. The smile he gave her told her all she needed to know. _I love you too, Ezra; always will. _

The girl watched as his breathing slowed, and finally his chest stopped moving, his eyes closed. Tears slipped off her face and onto his, before rolling off and hitting the ground. Slowly, she raised the gun from beside her. She placed it to the side of his head, and quickly pulled the trigger before she had time to think about it.

As soon as the pistol fired, Ezra got into the car they had been driving. She turned the key, and put the car into drive. She had to get out of here before those _things _came to the sound of the gunshot. Slowly, she drove onto the road, and kept her eyes in front of her; her thoughts solely on getting the hell out of there.

~*~o~*~  
**(1)= A- Alfa  
B- Bravo  
C- Charlie  
D- Delta  
E- Echo  
F- Foxtrot  
G- Golf  
H- Hotel  
I- India  
J- Juliet  
K- Kilo  
L- Lima  
M- Mike  
N- November  
O- Oscar  
P- Papa  
Q- Quebec  
R- Romeo  
S- Sierra  
T- Tango  
U- Uniform  
V- Victor  
W- Whiskey  
X- Xray  
Y- Yankee  
Z- Zulu  
I'll most likely never make references to numbers in the phonetic alphabet, so I'm not gonna bother typing it out. **

**And just so you guys know, the chapter numbers will be in French; there will be some French phrases. I'll always put the meaning in English in parentheses beside it though.**


	2. Gone

_"You hurt me more than I deserve, how could you be so cruel? I loved you more than you deserved, why am I such a fool?" _  
~*~o~*~

Ezra drove, keeping her eyes on the road. She wished, for the first time, that she had a CD. Usually Colton was there, keeping the car filled with some sort of noise, whether it was him talking, singing, laughing, or just tapping his fingers on the center console while she drove. But now; there was only eery silence. It made her realize what kind of world she was living in now, and she _hated_ it. She preferred it when she had things to distract her from thinking about what the world was now; from realizing that there is no way out of this thing. That they're just gonna go from one pipe dream to the next, hoping one of those mindless freaks doesn't grab you and rip you apart. That there _is no_ hope.

Sighing, the blonde girl pulled the map from the glove box. She stopped the car, and turned off as to not waste any gas. Slowly, she figured out about where she was, and traced a line with her finger. _How the hell did Colton read this thing so easily, _she thought, _he wanted to go north.._ She figured it'd be better to stick to back roads, small towns; avoid populated areas. The larger the area, the more biters. A small town in the north sounded ideal to both of them just two weeks ago, but now..Now she just wanted it all to _end. _She was _tired._ Colton wouldn't want her to give up though; so she thought about all the northern states she could think of on this part of the U.S. She'd rather not try to head the northwestern part of the country; she would never have enough food or gas to do that. Slowly, she ticked off states in her head.

_Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maryland..._ Ezra figured Ohio would be the best bet, maybe Nebraska, though it was a bit further than she'd ever wanted to go. _Washington D.C.? No. The roads would be too jammed. _She quickly marked the roads she'd take with a hi-liter and put both things on the passenger seat _where Colton should've been sitting._

She wondered vaguely if she'd be able to find a dog or _something_ to keep her company on her trip. But right now, she was focused only on getting to the state line; the rest of the planning would have to wait. She knew that she most likely wouldn't even make it out of Georgia, but she'd sure as hell die trying. Just like Colton and her father.

~*~o~*~

Sometimes when life gives you lemons, you just need to squeeze those lemons into life's eyes, and say _fuck you._ Ezra knew she had to fight; she knew she had to live through this. But it was so _damn _hard. She had pulled off to the side of the road so she could get the blood off of her; there was a lake a few minutes from where she had stopped the car. So much for that.

A small group of biters were below her-she was stranded up in this tree. She had no idea what had happened; it went by too fast. One minute, she was getting the blood off her arms, the next she was scrambling up into this fucking tree. Why was she so _weak._ Sighing, she leaned against the trunk of the fairly large tree.

She just wanted to sleep. She just wanted to wake up one day and realize all _this _was just a dream. But that wouldn't happen, she knew it wouldn't. While it all seemed so much like a story she'd pick up in a bookstore; it was too _real._ Colton dying. She'd never _ever_ dream about that, and she knew she wouldn't. The reality of this situation; the reality that the world was _fucked_, that nothing she did would ever help brought back that _feeling_ of wanting everything to _end._

She had closed her eyes, but when she opened them again, the biters were on the ground; dead for good. _What the hell. _Her eyes finally located the source as to _why._

The man had a slightly large build, but she knew at first glance that most of it was muscle. He had dark bags under his piercing blue eyes and he had tattered clothes, "_Oh my god._"

~*~o~*~  
**Shorter than I wanted, but oh well.  
Anyone see the unintended Carrie Underwood reference in the second half of the chapter? No? Okay.  
Comment, follow, and favorite please? **


	3. Together Again

_"I hate the way you're constantly smiling when I'm around. I hate the way your eyes light up when they meet mine and I hate the way you walk, talk and act. Wanna know why? They're the reasons I can't let you go."  
~*~o~*~_

Ezra smiled, her eyes brightening when he opened his arms for her. She ran into them, wrapping her arms best she could around him. He held her, without a word. They both knew that now wasn't the time to be catching up. As the wind blew more, she was thankful for the warmth of his body. Eventually, they pulled apart, and he grabbed her wrist, tugging her behind him, "Let's go."

Slowly, the pair made their way to a dark green truck. It had four doors; front and back seats. It had a few things in the back, but not much. It just seemed to be a few weapons, some clothes, and a few pillows and blankets, along with a few canned goods and some water bottles. She put her bag of clothes and weapons in the back. "We need to stop by my car so I can get the rest of my things," She said, her eyes going down to his sloppily tied shoes, "Some of Colton's shoes might fit you." He knew what she meant, and simply nodded.

He got into the driver's seat, she got into the passenger's seat. He started the car and pulled onto the road. She pointed him in the direction of the car she had been driving, leaning against the door.

When he pulled up to the car, she got out, and opened the back door. She pulled out her bags of pillows and blankets, then pulled out the bag Colton had. She pulled out some of the shoes that didn't have laces, then went back to the truck. She placed everything in the back, then went back into the passenger's seat.

She looked over to the man that sat beside her, "I missed you, Merle."  
~*~o~*~  
The pair pulled off into the parking lot of a small motel. "We're only going ta clean out one of tha rooms," Merle said, and Ezra nodded. She grabbed a machete, and connected it to her belt. She took her pistol just in case, and followed Merle to a room marked _23_. He held a knife in his hand, his _only _hand, and kicked open the door.

Quickly, the two killed the few walkers inside. They put the 4 bodies outside the door to keep away any other walkers that stumbled into the area. Merle had gone into the bathroom, and tried the sink. Both lights and water worked. The generators hadn't given out yet.

Ezra grabbed a change of clothes for them, and got the shoes she'd taken from her car. She had left all of Colton's things in the car; Colton was muscular, but he was shorter and not as well built as Merle was. The blonde walked back into the room, and shut the door with her foot. She dropped the clothes the bed that didn't have bloodstains on it. She'd make him share the bed with her; there was no way she could let him sleep in a bed where someone died.

Merle had gotten a few cans of food out of the truck a little bit before. He had a pan and metal spoon to cook the things with. It was a simple meal of canned chili and refried beans. Not much, but beggars can't be choosers.

~*~o~*~

The sun shining in through the rips in the curtains is what woke Ezra. Merle was at the stove, cooking some 'breakfast' for himself. He knew Ezra hated breakfast, and a zombie apocalypse wouldn't change that.

As the day dragged on, they caught up quickly about what they'd been doing since the start of this thing. Merle had been with a group of survivors, with Daryl. After a few weeks, they went to Atlanta to gather supplies, and he was high. He beat a man called T-Dog, and got handcuffed to a pipe by a guy he referred to as Officer Friendly. Eventually, he cut off his hand and got off that damned roof. Since then, he's just been wandering around. Ezra knew there was more to it, but didn't push it. When a Dixon didn't want to talk about something, they weren't going to talk about it.

Ezra looked at the alarm clock that she figured had the right time. _9:38. _She sighed, and looked out the peep hole. When she saw no walkers, she began gathering their things; they couldn't stay any longer than necessary. She put everything in the back of the truck once Merle finished eating.

"Stop exaustin' yerself. Ya've been through a lot, just rest," He said, placing his hand on Ezra's arm as she lifted a small box into the bed of the truck. She glanced over her shoulder at him. She couldn't make out the look in his eyes, and sighed. She slid the box to the end of the bed, and nodded.

"Any idea where we're going to go after this?" When Merle shook his head, she sighed, "Putain de rustres.."(1) she muttered silently, but took a few steps towards him and away from the truck. She gently caressed his cheek. She ignored how he tensed up for a few seconds, and she stood on her tip-toes and kissed his forehead. Once she pulled away, she looked straight into his eyes, "Thank you. So much. For everything you've done for me over the years."

~*~o~*~

Merle drove out of the parking lot of the motel, and into the abandoned street. A million questions were swirling through his mind, but he didn't voice any of them. He got the impression that Ezra had a crush on a him a long time ago; _years_ ago. But he never did anything about it. Only a Dixon could love a Dixon.

He sighed as wind blew in through the open windows. He couldn't help but think that everything he'd learned growing up was _wrong_. His dad was always drunk, always hitting him and Daryl, always with a cigarette in his hand. He knew it was wrong, he knew that none of that stuff should've been taught to him, and he knew that it would do nothing but fuck him over, but he doubted he'd be able to change any of that.

He didn't know how to treat a woman, that was obvious to everyone. Back when the world was normal, he'd get a girl drunk, fuck her, and leave before the sun was up. He never treated Ezra like the other girls, simply because she wasn't like the others. Sure, they had a fun night every now and again, but she was never drunk. She may have been tipsy a few times, but not enough to qualify as drunk. He didn't wanna say he used her; but that's how it seemed. He didn't know how to express his emotions, he didn't even know what these emotions are in the first place.

Whenever his daddy came home drunk, he'd push Daryl into a closet and take the beating. When he was in juvie or jail, when he was in the military, he knew how bad Daryl would've had it. He'd had it like that so many times. He felt bad for not being there as often as he should've been, but he'd never admit that to anyone. But Ezra knew. That girl could knew him better than he knew himself, and he _knew_ he could never let her go. But it'd happen. It was bound to happen since the day Ezra stomped up to him, her hair tousled by the wind, and punched him right in the jaw for hitting Daryl, her best _fucking _friend at the time.

Before he realized it, Ezra was pulling his arm, and pointed to a street, and he knew what she wanted. "Ya sure? There could be-"

"Please Merle. I need to see the house, to know that they are gone."

With a sigh, Merle turned onto the street and stopped the truck in front of the pale blue, two story house. They got out of the truck, and both got a gun and knife. Ezra walked onto the porch, and reached under the old, rickety rocking chair, and grabbed the spare key. She shivered slightly as the wind blew. Her outfit consisted of a simple blue and white striped shirt ad dark denim shorts. With that, she wore studded black combat boots, and the gold Eiffel Tower necklace she had since the day before she came to America from France.

She was surprised when there weren't any walkers around, but she didn't think anything of it. She also didn't realize that the windows were boarded up, something her brother never would've thought of. Another thing she didn't realize was the tell-tale sign of cars parked behind the house.

And maybe that was why she was shocked when she opened the door, and saw everything was tidier than it should've been. When she stepped into the house, Merle by her side, she shut the door, and looked around, not moving from her spot.

She realized too late that something was wrong.

"Drop your weapons and get away from the door," A foreign accent drawled, and that was when they both realized the guns being pointed at them.

~*~o~*~  
**  
(1)= Mix of Kristen and Google Translate. I don't know, it's supposed to mean "Fucking rednecks.." but I don't speak French, so I'm not sure how accurate it is. If you speak French fluently, I'll gladly take your help with this stuff.  
Anyways. I hope you enjoyed it.  
3+ comments for the next chapter, fair enough? **


	4. Flashbacks

_**Okay it was hell for me to get this chapter written. The first time I tried to write it, everything got erased. This is the second version, so I hope it's as good as the first one was.  
I'm guessing it's only 2010, 2011, 2012 ish on the show, so that's basically how I figured the years in the chapter. Enjoy. **_

* * *

_"You're the one who broke my heart, you're the reason I'm falling apart, you're the one who made me cry, yet I'm still in love with you and I don't know why."  
~*~o~*~_

October 25, 2003

_Ezra beamed as her two of her best friends walked in. She finished wiping off the counter before filling two mugs with beer, and walking over to the booth the two decided to sit by. She placed them in front of the two, and sighed, "You two look like shit," She stated, taking a few steps towards the nearest trashcan and spit out her gum. She turned back to the men, and raised her eyebrows slightly._

Daryl shrugged, "Long day." He worked at the local auto-shop. It didn't pay that good, but it was enough to pay his bills and keep him fed. He got his own apartment about 3 years ago to get away from his abusive father. Merle occasionally stayed with him, but normally he was with his whores or Ezra.

The blonde girl looked at Merle, who glanced over his shoulder at her, "Same as usual, darlin'," He said, taking a long gulp of his drink, along with Daryl. Ezra shook her head lightly, and glanced around the bar, rolling her eyes a bit as she saw no one needed a refill on their drink. Daryl scooted over, allowing room for Ezra to sit. The girl sat beside him, and took a small sip of his beer, ignoring the look he gave her. She gave it back to him before sighing.

Drake, her boss, had been giving her a lot of shit lately. Every day, he went home around 8 o'clock to put his twin girls. Cheyenne and Sierra(1), to bed. By the time he finished everything, it was around 9 o'clock. It gave her about an hour to do whatever the fuck she wanted. Minutes passed in silence; the only noise being the other conversations going on in the bar. Finally, Ezra stood and walked up to the stage in the bar. She sat at the piano and her fingers immediately began playing Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy.

Once the song finished, just about everyone clapped. She smiled at the people and walked over to the bar to tend to the customers. Soon enough Colton walked through the door, smiling at his best friend. Ezra met him in 5_th__ grade. They had to do a science project together. She met the Dixons the year after. Ezra, in a sense, was like all three of the boys in one girl._

After exchanging a few words and a hug, Ezra walked out of the bar, to where Daryl, Merle, and Kristen were waiting for her. Ezra was staying at Daryl's apartment while her apartment was being worked on. There was an issue with the electricity and plumbing. Kristen had been her best friend since Ezra was in 8_th__ grade. She was the only girl who stuck by her throughout all the shit she had to go through. They were there for each other, no matter what happened._

~*~o~*~  
The next morning passed by in a blur, and by the time Daryl got home from the store, Ezra was restless. She didn't have work that day, so she was stuck at Daryl's apartment. She immediately tensed when she saw the bruise around Daryl's eye, "What the hell happened?" She asked, flying off the couch. Before Daryl could reply, Ezra was holding an ice pack to his eye, kicking the grocery bags to the ground.

"Merle," He muttered, gently slapping her hand away. She handed him the homemade ice pack and took the groceries to the kitchen. Ezra smiled at him before going to the bathroom to change out of her cupcake pajamas. She came back wearing a white top with black stars and black jeans. _With that, she wore black leatherette boots that ha three buckles on each, and her Eiffel Tower necklace. She ignored Daryl as she walked out of the apartment._

When she arrived at the park, she immediately saw Merle, and walked up to him. He gave her a questioning look and before he could say anything, Ezra slammed her fist into his jaw. He stumbled back a bit, "What tha hell was tha' for?" He asked her, holding his mouth and all but glaring at the girl that was just half his size.

"I'm the only one that can hit Daryl, understand?" She said coldly, daring_him to do something about it. That's how it was. Ezra was the only one that could lay a hand on Daryl, Merle, Colton, and Kristen. Hell, Kristen, the Dixons and Colton could hit Ezra if they very well wanted to, but _no one _hit her friends without having to deal with Ezra afterwards. Merle bit back a response and nodded. He wasn't going to argue. The girl could be dangerous if you pissed her off enough._

Ezra gave Merle her sugary sweet smile before prancing off back to Daryl's apartment.  
~*~o~*~  
October 30, 2003  
_Merle rolled his eyes as he stepped into the doorway of Daryl's kitchen. Ezra stood on the oppostie side, wiping down the counter in just a black crop top that showed off her flat stomach, and yellow and black jeans. A black beanie was planted on her blonde curls, her Eiffel Tower necklace swung back and forth on her neck, and her black leatherette boots were on her feet. Both Dixons had grown accustomed to the girl wearing a crop top without a tank top under it, and Merle was sure Kristen and Colton were as well. Though she never did it when she went out somewhere, it was common for her when she was at one of their homes._

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop staring at me Mr. Dixon," She said, without looking up and Merle finally registered the Nirvana playing lightly in the background.

"Then try something a little less revealin'," He mumbled, walking past the girl who was a good 5, nearly 6, years younger than him. She'd be 21 tomorrow, and he still hadn't gotten a gift for her. She wouldn't show that she cared, but deep down, he knew that it bothered her. So he'd do what he could to get her something good.

It was just the two at the apartment, as Daryl was at work. Daryl turned 21 the previous January. He'd be 22 in a few months. Ezra finished wiping the counter and threw the rag in the sink. She turned to Merle, and hopped up onto the counter, "Happy early Halloween," She said, swinging her legs. She always preferred celebrating Halloween rather than her birthday, but she still enjoyed getting presents and cake along with the free candy. Merle muttered a 'happy-early-birthday' and it was then that Ezra realized just how beaten down he was from years of abuse. Just the few years he's been into alcohol has also taken it's toll, and it broke her heart to see how much older he seemed to be, rather than the 27 he was. He hadn't even been 27 that long, and he was closer to 28, as his birthday was in April.

She sighed and looked at him, "What's going on, Merle?" She asked gently, ignoring that he still didn't make direct eye contact with her. He said nothing as he walked past her and back to the small lounge the apartment provided. Ezra watched him go, a pang of sadness coursing through her. He'd been distant. For a few months now, and he'd been spending quite a bit of time away from her and Daryl; more than usual. She knew something wasn't right, but she couldn't figure out what it was.  
~*~o~*~  
January 3, 2004  
_"What the hell, Merle?!" Ezra screamed at him, throwing the small packet of white powder at him. Her eyes were stinging with unshed tears as she stared at him, silently begging for an answer. For months, damn close to a year, he'd been doing this. Keeping this from her. From Daryl. This is why he was so damn different than he was when Ezra stupidly fell for him._

Merle kept his eyes on the ground. He couldn't bring himself to look up into her blue eyes, that if it weren't for those green and gray specks, would be clones of his and Daryl's. Her patronizing, blue, green and grey specked, shiny, tear-filled, fearful, doe eyes. He couldn't help but think this would be what broke her. That this would be the thing that tore their friendship apart at the seams. That this would be the end of whatever they had. Would she do that? Would she throw their friendship away just because he's fucked up? Yes. She would. She's done it to other people, why should he be an exception? The worst part was he couldn't even think of an explanation that would be good enough for her. Nothing was good enough for her, it seemed. He _wasn't good enough for her._

Ezra shook her head, "I can't believe you...I thought..." She trailed off. She didn't know what she thought anymore. She was falling apart. "You could've just come to me..." She said quietly. Finally anger took the place of sorrow, and she screaming obscenities at him. Before he had a chance to respond, she walked away, towards her apartment.

When she finally entered her small home, she slammed the door shut and fell onto the sofa, finally allowing the tears to escape.  
~*~o~*~  
February 14, 2003  
_Ezra smiled at Colton as he handed her a yellow rose. He knew that yellow roses were her favorite. She kissed his cheek, and the two exchanged brief words, before she grabbed the teddy bear she was giving Daryl, and leaving the bar._

She held the rose in one hand, and the teddy bear in the other, and knocked on Daryl's door. She knew Merle would be with him right now, but she didn't care. She wanted to give the thing to Daryl and leave. When the door opened, she was met with a blast of cold air. Daryl stood in front of her, his eyes burning with anger. She knew it had something to do with Merle but said nothing. She handed the teddy bear to Daryl. It was light, yellow-ish brown, with a blue hoodie that said 'hug me'. She smiled at him, "Cheer up, sweetheart."

Merle stood from the couch and pushed Daryl back inside the apartment. He gently pushed Ezra out, before closing the door behind him. They both stood in the warm post-winter air without uttering a single word.

Several beats of silence followed before Ezra sighed. "Merle-"

"I fucked up. I know. I'm sorry," He said, finally having the guts to look her in the eye. She was close enough to a foot shorter than he was, so he had to look down to do so. She was looking up at him those damn doe eyes, which were still begging for an answer, even after a month. "I don't know.." He honestly didn't know why he did it anymore. He hadn't stopped either, but he knew he should. He knew it would've been better for everyone if he did. But he couldn't.

_"Happy Valentine's Day," She said quietly, managing to give him a small smile. Merle's heart cracked at hearing that. It had been an inside joke between the two of them for 3 years. He thought she would've given it up after she found out about the drugs, so he had to smile. He didn't say anything as he leaned down, placing his lips on hers._

_~*~o~*~ _  
**(1)=Chris Jericho (Professional wrestler, he works for WWE) has twin daughters, their names are Cheyenne and Sierra.  
Do you guys hate me yet? The next chapter (maybe) will continue on with the present-day shit.  
Please review. I wanna know what you guys think of this story. Next chapter will be out soon, promise.**


	5. Must've Stabbed Her Fifty Fucking TImes

**Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Read my new Daryl love story though? It's called Silent Bridge. (:**

**Thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far, it means a lot to me. **

~*~o~*~

_"Everything about you is a conspiracy. Just like your love you have for me. It's all a broken dream, with things that are never what they seem." _  
_~*~o~*~_

Ezra and Merle sat at the kitchen table, slowly spooning soup into their mouths. The man that had spoken to them, William, was actually very nice, and he was only trying to protect his pregnant wife, Vivian. The pair weren't allowed to have their weapons and were kept under tight guard, but they could understand why. The world had flipped upside down in a matter of hours, everyone had to be cautious these days.

Ezra had explained to them that this used to be their house, they sorrowfully told her that they had to put down the three walkers that had been in here. Her and Merle would stay the night, in her old bedroom, and would sneak out in the early morning without bothering the group. They needed to get out of here; the group was a nice one, but their first priority was finding Daryl, not playing house with a bunch of armed strangers.

Soon enough, the sun set, and the two were sent to Ezra's old bedroom. These people reminded her of the group her and Colton had been with just a few weeks ago. The room was exactly as she had left it when she was 19 and left to go to college out of the city (which didn't go as she had planned). An old rocking chair in the corner which held her favorite teddy bear, Mr. Snuggles. Pictures of her and her friends (Daryl, Merle, Colton, and Kristen mostly) standing in a line on her dresser. Her bed with the feminine black and white sheets and comforter. The black curtains only slightly drawn to block the rays of sunlight. Her art supplies, books, a wilted rose that Colton had given her, small stuffed animals from various people all sitting on/near her white bookshelf in the corner. Her worn down, torn up posters of actors, bands, tv shows, movies hanging up randomly around the walls. Her closet door was slightly open, probably looking for clothes that might fit Vivian. Ezra walked to the dresser and turned the pictures of Colton and Kristen face-down on the dresser.

She glanced at Merle, then the bed. She sighed quietly and walked to her closet, pulling out a pair of light pink pajamas. She always wore socks to bed to keep her feet warm, so she grabbed a pair of her old socks, pink with black zebra stripes, and looked at Merle again. He rolled his eyes and turned away to face the bookshelf. She quickly changed out of her old clothes and threw them in the hamper beside the rocking chair. She'd be sure to pack some clothes for herself when they left. The sound of the clothes hitting the hamper let Merle know he could turn. He sighed when he saw her in the revealing pajamas. It reminded him of the nights she spent at his and Daryl's apartment after a fight with a friend, family member, or boyfriend at the time.

The two hadn't spoken much since they shared what had happened to them since the outbreak started, but it didn't bother either of them. They both could practically read each others' minds after so many years together. She gave him a small smile, before slipping into the bed, being sure to leave enough room for him. She covered herself up with the blanket and flicked the lamp on. Merle turned off the lights, kicked off his shoes, and crawled into the bed beside her.

~*~o~*~

Ezra pulled her old gym bag from the top shelf in her closet and began stuffing some clothes into it, leaving space for a pair of shoes. She threw her old converse in it and zipped it up. Merle had the window open, and he had to be pretty fucking stupid if he thought she was jumping out of it. "We don't wanna risk goin' through tha front door, darlin'," He said quietly as to not wake anyone up. She sighed and he dropped her bag down to the ground, then going down himself. She pulled on her black sweater-she was still in her pajamas-and sat at the window sill. She looked down and her mind buzzed, butterflies growing in her stomach. She had always been semi-afraid of heights. She shivered slightly in the 5 o'clock chill and turned, hanging her legs off the side. She had pulled on the pair of combat boots she had on before, but her legs were exposed. Merle was waiting patiently for her, and, sighing, she began lowering herself down. When she was hanging by her hands, she let go, and Merle easily caught her, setting her down on the ground.

Merle picked up her bag, and began walking towards their car. Before they even reached the end of the yard, William was right in front of them. "I don't think you realize something. . ." He said, staring right at them, his British accent more profound. His grey-blue eyes shined, a twisted sickness in them that Merle and Ezra couldn't see, "Once you come to the group, you don't leave."

"Ya hav' ta be pretty fuckin' stupid if ya think we're stayin'," Merle said, gently pushing Ezra behind him. She grunted in annoyance but didn't complain any more than that. William shook his head gently. He gave them a shimmering white smile, "You don't understand. No one leaves. The family here wasn't dead when we got here," He said, beginning to pace as the men in the group began gathering around, pointing their guns at the two, "We killed them," He went on, hands clasped behind his back, "We didn't burn them, we didn't bury them. . ." He stopped pacing at gave the two a sharp look, "We ate them." He looked up at the sky that in just an hour or so would be lit by the sun, "The woman. . .I must have stabbed her fifty fucking times."

Ezra's fists clenched as he spoke. She should've realized something wasn't right about these people, and now that she thought about it, she never even saw any girls they said they had. There was no Vivian, no Taylor, no Samantha, no Piper. It was just these guys, just William, just these cannibals that ate her family. Merle's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to get them out of this. They probably wouldn't get out unharmed, but dammit, he was determined to get Ezra out of here alive.

The wind blew as silence settled into the thick pockets of tension. Ezra saw 5 guns, so she figured there was 5 men, and William. She wondered vaguely what Daryl would do. _Do some crazy shit while getting himself killed, _she thought dryly. Slowly, Ezra reached into a pocket in her bag, she had packed something that had been given to her on her 18th birthday. She stood right beside Merle, on his left side, and handed it to him with unnoticeable movements. He wrapped his fingers around the cool metal of the pistol and flipped the safety off before pointing it at William. They were terribly outnumbered, but they had to try. _Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. _Guns cocked all around them, but he didn't lower the gun. William didn't falter.

"You have guts, I'll give you that," His British accent rang in Ezra's ears, the unspoken words sounding loudest, _Don't even dare shoot me, or you'll both be dead in a matter of seconds. _Merle shook his head lightly, and Ezra nudged him with her elbow. Dead or alive, she wanted _out _of this.

Without another word spoken, Merle aimed the gun right at William's head and pulled the trigger.


End file.
